U.S. patent application number 12/019270 was filed with the patent office on 2009-05-14 for stop watch including a time indicator.
This patent application is currently assigned to TAG HEUER SA. Invention is credited to Christoph Behling.
Application Number | 20090122654 12/019270 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39494600 |
Filed Date | 2009-05-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090122654 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Behling; Christoph |
May 14, 2009 |
STOP WATCH INCLUDING A TIME INDICATOR
Abstract
It is disclosed a stop watch (1) including a time indicator
comprising a hand (2), a first scale (31) and a second scale (41).
A part of a time indication is shown by the hand (2) on the first
scale (31) and a second part of said time indication is shown by
said second scale (41) in combination with said first scale (31).
The first scale (31) is fixed and said second scale (41) is movably
mounted around said first scale (31). The first part of said time
indication corresponds to seconds of a duration counted by said
stop watch (1), and the second part of said time indication
corresponds to tenths of seconds of said duration.
Inventors: |
Behling; Christoph; (London,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PEARNE & GORDON LLP
1801 EAST 9TH STREET, SUITE 1200
CLEVELAND
OH
44114-3108
US
|
Assignee: |
TAG HEUER SA
La Chaux-de-Fonds
CH
|
Family ID: |
39494600 |
Appl. No.: |
12/019270 |
Filed: |
January 24, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/EP2007/062276 |
Nov 13, 2007 |
|
|
|
12019270 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
368/89 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G04B 19/283 20130101;
G04B 47/042 20130101; G04F 7/06 20130101; G04F 7/088 20130101; G04C
17/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
368/89 |
International
Class: |
G04F 13/00 20060101
G04F013/00 |
Claims
1. Stop watch including: a casing, a hand, a first scale, a second
scale, whereby a first part of a time indication is shown by the
hand on the first scale, whereby a second part of said time
indication is shown by the second scale in combination with the
first scale, wherein the first scale is fixed and the second scale
is movably mounted relatively to the first scale.
2. The stop watch of claim 1, wherein the first part of said time
indication corresponds to seconds of a duration counted by said
stop watch, and the second part of said time indication corresponds
to tenths of seconds of said duration.
3. The stop watch of claim 1, wherein said first scale includes
marks on a fixed dial of said stop watch.
4. The stop watch of claim 1, wherein said second scale in
combination with said first scale is a vernier.
5. The stop watch of claim 1, wherein said second scale includes
marks on a rotating ring mounted around said first scale.
6. The stop watch of claim 3, wherein said second scale comprises
eleven marks which occupy the same length than ten said marks of
said first scale.
7. The stop watch of claim 5, said rotating ring being a bezel or
flange.
8. The stop watch of claim 1, wherein said hand and said second
scale rotate around a central axis.
9. The stop watch of claim 1, wherein said second scale is movable
manually around said first scale to read the second part of said
time indication.
10. The stop watch of claim 1, wherein said second scale is
automatically driven around said first scale to read the second
part of said time indication.
11. The stop watch of claim 1, wherein said second scale is
manually movable by a crown or button on said casing of said stop
watch.
12. The stop watch of claim 1, wherein said second scale is
manually movable using the magnetic interaction of a magnetic bezel
outside of said casing.
13. The stop watch of claim 1, wherein the rotation of said second
scale is done during counting of the time indication by said hand
or only after a stop button is pressed.
14. The stop watch of claim 1, said second scale comprising an
additional mark in combination with the marker zero.
15. The stop watch of claim 1, wherein the stop watch comprises a
mechanical movement.
16. The stop watch of claim 1, wherein the stop watch comprises at
least one step motor for driving said hand.
17. The stop watch of claim 14, wherein the marker zero is a
triangle.
18. The stop watch of claim 1, wherein the second part is a
sub-unit of the first part.
19. Stop watch including: a casing, a hand, a first scale, a second
scale, whereby a first part of a time indication is shown by the
hand on the first scale, whereby a second part of said time
indication is shown by the second scale in combination with the
first scale, wherein the first scale is fixed and the second scale
is movably mounted relatively to the first scale, wherein the first
part of said time indication corresponds to seconds of a duration
counted by said stop watch, and the second part of said time
indication corresponds to tenths of seconds of said duration.
20. Stop watch including: a casing, a hand, a first scale, a second
scale, whereby a first part of a time indication is shown by the
hand on the first scale, whereby a second part of said time
indication is shown by the second scale in combination with the
first scale, wherein the first scale is fixed and the second scale
is movably mounted relatively to the first scale, wherein said
second scale is movable manually around said first scale to read
the second part of said time indication.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation of international
application 2007WO-EP062276 filed Nov. 13, 2007, the content of
which is included by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention concerns a stop watch including a time
indicator according to the independent claim.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
[0003] Common stop-watches comprise a rotating hand and a scale on
the dial, or on a small dial, for indicating the seconds of the
duration counted by the watch. Although the tenths of seconds of
this duration may be guessed by checking the position of the hand
between two marks of the scale, this conventional arrangement does
not allow a precise, fast or convenient reading of fractions of
seconds.
[0004] DE 1 673 822 concerns a time indicator of a stop watch in
which a rotating hand is mounted centrally in a watch. The hand
interacts with a scale on the watch to indicate the seconds. The
hand includes a second scale which as well interacts with the scale
on the watch to indicate the tenth of seconds. The hand therefore
has a scale or indents, which are mounted on a segment on the upper
end of the hand.
[0005] WO-A1-01/59530 concerns a timekeeping clock wherein on the
axis of a mobile counter completing a cycle in 11 seconds is
mounted a transparent disc bearing radial markers. The dial
positioned beneath the disc provides a marking in the form of a
marker circle with radial markers numbered 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8 and 9. At each step of the mobile disc successive alignments
occur between a marker of the disc and a marker of the ring thereby
enabling tenths of seconds elapsed to be displayed
anticlockwise.
[0006] WO-A2-2004/010084 relates to a position indicator for
indicating the relative position of two components which can be
displaced in relation to each other. A first indicator pattern is
applied to the first of the two components in a fixed manner, and a
second indicator pattern is applied to the second of the two
components in a fixed manner. The first indicator pattern extends
in an extension direction over a first length L1 and consists of a
number N1 of essentially identical first partial patterns which
periodically repeat in the extension direction. The second
indicator pattern extends in an extension direction over a second
length L2 and consists of a number N2 of essentially identical
second partial patterns which periodically repeat in the extension
direction. According to the disclosure, the following equations
hold true: L2=L1*(1+/-1/N1) and N2=N1/n or L2=L1 and N2=N1/n+/-1.
It is characterised in that the first and/or second partial
patterns have other indicator characteristics, enabling the
relative position to be read more accurately, according to the
accuracy of a vernier scale with an (N1/n)-1 to N1/n graduation.
However, this watch cannot be used as a timekeeping watch.
[0007] EP-A2-0 365 443 relates to a method which, when used on an
analog watch, permits timings of a duration of twelve hours, with a
reading accuracy equal to one minute. It consists of a watch of
circular form, equipped with an adjustable ring and a disc,
performing one revolution per hour, and bearing the customary marks
(full minute and hour scales). The scale of the ring is produced by
marking a first portion equal to the angular value of an hour
division of the disc, the remainder of the circumference in twelve
equal portions, these being subdivided into five. The system is
particularly intended for the display of information on time and
chronographic instruments. However, it does not disclose the
indication of tenth of seconds.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] One aim of the present invention is to provide a time
indicator of a stop watch which can indicate the tenth of
seconds.
[0009] Another aim of the present invention is to provide a time
indicator of a stop watch which indicates the tenth of seconds by a
vernier.
[0010] According to the invention, these aims are achieved by means
of the independent claim.
[0011] In particular, the aims are solved by a stop watch including
a time indicator comprising a hand, a first scale and a second
scale, whereby a first part of a time indication is shown by the
hand on the first scale and a second part of said time indication
is shown by the second scale in combination with the first scale,
wherein said first scale is fixed and said second scale is movably
mounted relatively to the first scale.
[0012] These aims are also solved by a vernier-type indicator in
which the graduation of the seconds on the dial corresponds to a
graduation on an outer rotating ring.
[0013] The first part of a time indication can be an indication of
seconds and the second part of a time indication is an indication
of tenth of seconds. With the same principle the first part of a
time indication could be an indication of tenth of seconds and the
second part of a time indication is an indication of hundredth of
seconds.
[0014] While the first scale can be mounted on a fixed dial, the
second scale in combination with said first scale is a rotating
ring mounted around said disc and both work together as a vernier.
The hand can be movable or rotatable around a central axis together
with said second scale on said ring. Said rotating ring can be a
bezel above or around said dial.
[0015] The advantage lies in that the hand and dial need not to be
changed in respect to existent dials and the dial remains easy to
read. Modifications are brought to the bezel only. Another
advantage is that the user only has to use the second time
indicator when he wants to know exactly the tenth of seconds of an
elapsed time.
[0016] The second scale can be moved manually or automatically
around said first scale to read the mentioned second part of said
time indication. This can be done by a crown or button mounted at
10 o'clock at a casing of said stop watch. Said second scale or
ring can be driven by a toothed wheel and gears.
[0017] Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The invention will be better understood with the aid of the
description of an embodiment given by way of example and
illustrated by the figures, in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the different parts of the
time indicator according to the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 shows a view of the assembled parts as shown in FIG.
1;
[0021] FIG. 3 shows a view of the stop watch after an elapsed time
of 38,3 seconds;
[0022] FIG. 4 shows a view of the stop watch after an elapsed time
of 38,3 seconds measuring the tenth of second of the elapsed
time.
[0023] FIG. 5 shows the appearance of the stop watch according to
the invention; and
[0024] FIG. 6 shows a perspective cut through the stop watch
according to FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF POSSIBLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0025] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the different parts of the
time indicator of a timekeeping or stop watch 1 according to the
present invention. The central second hand 2 is mounted on a
central axis through the dial 3. For indication of the seconds, the
dial 3 bears a first time indicator scale 31 comprising marks on
the dial 3, for example 60 marks equally spaced at the periphery of
the dial and corresponding to the seconds/minutes of the current
time. The first part of an elapsed time measured by the stop watch
1 is indicated by the hand 2 in combination with the first scale
31. In the embodiment shown, the first scale 31 is written around
the dial 3 from one to 60, with regular spaced markers. In this way
the first scale 31 in combination with the hand 2 can indicate the
seconds of the elapsed time. The same scale can be used for reading
the seconds and/or minutes of the current time.
[0026] In addition there is an outer ring 4 or bezel which is
arranged above and/or around the dial 3. The ring 4 bears
preferably only a segment of the whole circle along the edge
markers indicating numbers from 0 to 10. The scale 41 so formed is
marked next to the inner edge of the ring 4. The second scale 41
can in that way in combination with said first scale indicate a
second part of elapsed time, e.g. the tenth or hundredths of
seconds of the elapsed time as explained in detail below in form of
a vernier or vernier calliper.
[0027] The vernier illustrated on the figures thus comprises a
first scale 31 and a second scale 41 arranged so that 11 marks of
the scale 41 occupy the same circular length than 10 marks of the
scale 31, as best seen on FIG. 2. If the first marks (0 of scale 41
and 60 of scale 31) of both scales are aligned, the angular shift
between the next successive marks is thus increased at each mark by
one tenth of second. For example, the angular distance between the
first pair of marks on both scales and the third following pairs of
marks corresponds to 3/10.sup.th of second.
[0028] Other arrangements of verniers are possible, including
verniers with other numbers of marks on each scale, or verniers
having marks disposed in closer vicinity on the first scale than on
the second scale.
[0029] FIG. 2 shows a view of the assembled parts as shown in FIG.
1 in a starting or in a position after resetting the timekeeping
watch. Therefore the hand 2, the 60 or zero of the scale 31 and the
0 of the scale 41 are aligned in an upper high noon position. To
increase legibility of the seconds, the ring 4 bears a mark in
combination with the marker zero, such as a triangle 42, and so
making it easier for the user to read the elapsed time.
[0030] FIG. 3 shows a view of the stop watch after an elapsed time
of 38,3 seconds. However, in this embodiment, only the hand 2
moved, while the ring 4 stayed in his 12'oclock position during the
duration counted by said hand 2. In order to know the tenth of
seconds of the elapsed time, the user will move the ring 4 to the
position seen in FIG. 4, using a second crown discussed later.
While the inner dial 3 and the hand 2 are fixed, the outer ring 4
is turned until the mark 42 is aligned with hand 2 around the dial
3.
[0031] The user can then read the seconds as well as the tenth of
the seconds as follows: the hand 2 shows in combination with the
first scale 31 the elapsed seconds or a first part of a time
indication. Since the hand 2 can be between two full seconds, the
user can use the second scale 41 in combination with said first
indicator time scale 31 to read the tenth of seconds or a second
part of a time indication. When the mark 42 is aligned to hand 2,
the graduation of the scale 41 which is aligned with the graduation
of the scale 31 gives the tenth of second, in the given example it
is 3, which means the 3/10 of second in addition to the 38 second
indicated with hand 2. This situation is shown by FIG. 4.
[0032] FIG. 5 shows the appearance of the casing 11 of the stop
watch 1 according to the invention and FIG. 6 shows a cut through
this casing. Apart from this casing 11, the stop watch 1 also
comprises a glass 12 and button and/or crowns 13. The button and/or
crown 13 will be provided to allow the user to use the normal
functions of the watch such a time setting, rewinding and the
measurement of a duration counted by said stop watch and resetting
the stop watch 1. In the given example, the buttons 13 above and
below the crown could be used as for the START, STOP and RESET
Function of the stop watch 1 and other additional functions of the
watch. The watch could use a mechanical movement or an electronic
step motor.
[0033] FIG. 6 shows a perspective cut through the mechanism to
drive the outer ring 4. This can be done by a crown 5, which drives
a pinion 61. In the given example the crown 5 is mounted at a 10
o'clock position on the casing 11 of the stop watch 1. It could be,
however, at any position of the casing 11. The pinion 61 drives
teeth 62 or inner toothing below the ring 4. Preferably the ring 4
might be moved manually be the user, using the additional crown 5
or, in a various embodiment, an additional axial position of the
crown 13. It would be, of course possible, that the ring 4 might be
turned automatically using an independent motor. In order to make
sure that the outer ring 4 remains precisely at the desired place
and does not move despite a possible play between teeth, a holding
spring (not shown) can be used.
[0034] In a various, not illustrated embodiment, the outer ring 4
may be driven by a magnetic system, for example using magnets fixed
to the ring 4 and cooperating with magnets fixed to an external
part outside of the watch casing, for example on a rotating bezel
as described in International Application WO0244818 whose content
is included by reference. The outer ring 4 can thus be driven in
rotation by the attraction between portion of magnetic material of
the bezel and magnetic portion of the ring 4.
[0035] As described, the ring 4 is preferably moved manually by the
user after the STOP button has been pushed, so as to align the mark
42 with hand 2. In a various embodiment, the ring 4 could be driven
by the watch movement, for example by the second wheel that drives
the second hand 2. In this case, the ring 4 can be driven as soon
as the START button is pushed together with hand 2 or only when the
STOP button has been pushed. It is also possible to drive the outer
ring with an electric stop motor, during or after the rotation of
the second hand 2.
[0036] The outer ring 4 may be flat in the plane of the dial 3 or
preferably built as a flange.
[0037] The principle mentioned above regarding the measuring of
time could be made in the same way by using a small dial or
indication within the dial 3 with a small, not centred second hand
(not shown). The ring 4 would in this case be mounted around the
small dial with the second scale, which would form the vernier
together with the first scale. The small hand would indicate
together with the first scale the mentioned first part of the time
indication.
[0038] With the same principle explained in the application, the
first part of a time indication could be an indication of tenth of
seconds and the second part of a time indication is an indication
of hundredth of seconds.
[0039] An advantage of the invention lies in that the hand 2 and
dial 3 have not to be changed in respect to existent dials and the
dial remains easy to read. Modifications are brought to the bezel
or ring 4 only. Another advantage is that the user does not have to
use the second time indicator, but only when he wants to know
exactly the tenth of seconds.
REFERENCE NUMBERS
[0040] 1 Stop watch [0041] 11 Casing of stop watch 1 [0042] 12
Glass of stop watch 1 [0043] 13 Button and/or crown of stop watch 1
[0044] 2 Central hand for counting seconds [0045] 3 Dial [0046] 31
First scale--for the seconds on dial 2 [0047] 4 Outer Ring [0048]
41 Rotatable second scale--for tenth of seconds on the outer ring 3
[0049] 42 Mark, for example triangle [0050] 5 Crown [0051] 61
Pinion [0052] 62 Teeth below ring 4
* * * * *